


Childhood

by Shinehollow



Series: Family Ties [3]
Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Family Bonding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-30 21:45:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15105470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinehollow/pseuds/Shinehollow
Summary: The twin's childhood had already been a wild one; being introduced to a secret society they were born into just made it a little more crazy.





	Childhood

 Their days were spent mostly running around, playing with Nellie, climbing stuff they weren't suppose to, and generally making their grandmother mad. Nothing changed, and it didn't have to. Jacob loved it, and wouldn't give anything in the world for it. Well, maybe one thing.

 Whenever their grandmother got them to sit down, she'd tell them stories of their mother. Boring stories, mostly of her in her youth. Jacob hated them, but Evie seemed content with them, so he listened. They'd try to ask questions about other stuff their mother got into, and their grandmother would never tell them. Questions about her father, the man their grandmother mentioned so little, brought up a similar reaction. They'd ask where he was, and she'd only said he was away on business, and would be back sometime soon.

 However, as the years progressed, no strange man showed up, and Jacob began to believe that he stayed away for a reason. That he didn't like them. Good enough for him. If their father didn't love them, Jacob didn't see why he'd have to keep on hoping.

* * *

 "What should we do today?" Jacob quietly asked Evie, who sat next to him on the couch. They were dressed in their finest, which they had also done yesterdayfor their birthday, and Jacob hated his finest. It was so tight and stifling, and Jacob was tempted to go rip them up just to show Grandmother for her reaction. She seemed restless today, glancing out the windows, muttering to herself when she saw nothing. "We could go climb the giant oak tree and try to get to the roof again."

 Evie shot him a look. "We did that  _yesterday._ " Jacob shrugged. "We didn't get to the roof yesterday, but we were close. I think we can make it today." Evie shook her head. "Grandmother was so mad! Do you really want her to be madder today?" 

 "But she was only mad for a little bit, after I fell," Jacob muttered, staring at his shoes. He kicked the air, before glancing up at the mantle. There was an old picture of their mother with their father up there in the middle, but Grandmother never let them look at it, and they were too small to see it themselves. Jacob glanced at Evie, before looking back up at the mantle.  _Maybe we won't be too small today._  

 Evie's gaze followed his, and they both glanced at each other with a mischievous smile. "We shouldn't be loud, though," Evie said as they both crept off the couch and headed over towards the fireplace. "Grandmother will yell at us if she sees us messing around." Jacob scoffed quietly. "I know."

 As they stared up the mantle, Jacob could just barely peak above it to see the pictures above when he stood on his tip toes. "I should get on your shoulders," he said, glancing at Evie. "That way I can grab the picture and we can see Mother." Evie stomped her foot. "I want to climb on your shoulders! I'm older! I should be able to tell you what to do!" Jacob shook his head. "No, I want to! You can put it back," he said. "Please, Evie."

 "Fine," she said after a moment. "But I do get to put it back!" Jacob waved his hand at her. "I know I know. Come on, help me up."

 She crouched, and Jacob used the wall to get up on her shoulders. She slowly stood up, and Jacob let out a breath of surprise. "It's so neat being tall!" Evie let out a little squeak of pain and he tried to turn closer to the pictures. "Hurry up, you're hurting me!" Jacob stood on his tip toes again, and started to reach towards the picture. "Nearly there."

 "Jacob! Evie! Enough of that!" Grandmother snapped, startling them both, and Evie fell, Jacob following. He slammed his head against the fireplace, but said nothing as he fell on top of Evie. Grandmother muttered something, then said, louder, "Come here. There's someone I want you to meet."

 "We were so close," Jacob muttered, his forehead stinging. Evie ignored him, trying to push him up. "You're squishing me." 

 "Maybe I'll keep squishing you," Jacob hissed back, but he got off her. Evie quickly stood up afterwards, looking like she wanted to push him, but she remembered Grandmother and turned to the entrance way. There was a man standing next to Grandmother, watching them with an unreadable expression. He had the same light brown hair as Jacob, but his eyes were brown, not green.

 They walked over, and Grandmother gestured at him. "This is your father, Ethan. I told you about him, remember?" The twins watched him silent for a moment. "You mean the one who ran away?" Jacob burst out, and Grandmother glared. "Jacob! Manners! He didn't run away. He had business to attend to at his job. Isn't that right, Ethan?" she asked him, turning to him. Father met her eyes for a moment, before turning back to them. "Yes, I was. I really regret being away this long, but I'm here now." Jacob glanced at Evie before looking down at the floor. "Whatever."  _If you really cared, wouldn't you have come back sooner?_

Father crouched down in front of them, and when Jacob looked back up at him he had a hint of sorrow in his eyes. He glanced at Evie, before holding out his arms. "Can I get a hug?" They glanced at each other, before they both stepped forward a hugged them. Jacob hugged him tightly, surprised how happy he felt.  _Don't run away again. Please._

 After a moment, they stepped back, and Father smiled. "How about we head home now, hmm?"

* * *

 

 Father's house was far from the farm. It was on the other side of Crawley, and it was huge compared to Grandmother's place. Jacob stared at it in awe, while Evie squeaked, "You live here?" Father watched them, amused. "Yes.  _We_ live here." He walked over to the front door and gestured at the front entrance. "Welcome to the Frye Estate, my dears. Your new home." He lead them inside, stopping at the entrance way to watch their reactions as they stepped in. "It's so big," Jacob whispered, and Father chuckled. "Not as big as it could be." He took their bags and walked up the stairs, and they both quickly followed.

 "This is your room," Father announced, opening the door. "It's not much yet, I just got home today." The twins looked around his legs, taking in their new room. It was bigger than their old one, but there were still two beds, one looking newer than the other. "Good thing George was here," Father muttered, half to himself. "Or else you two would have to share a bed until I went and got another one." Jacob wanted to ask about who this George was, but he was tired.

 "You two have had a long day, haven't you?" Father asked. He placed their bags down in the room. "I have, too. Maybe we should have dinner, and get ready to go to bed. I have to go talk to some people about my job tomorrow, and then I have to head to the school." He scratched his head, looking conflicted. "Will you two be okay alone?" 

 "We'll be fine," Evie said. "We're six!" Father shook his head. "I'd rather leave you alone when you're older, but I have no choice. George is long gone to Croydon by now." 

 "Who's George?" Jacob asked, and Father sighed. "He's an old friend of mine. And your mother's." He looked upset, and Evie looked up at him. "Is something wrong?" Father smiled down at her, sniffling. "Nothing dear. It's just, this is going to take some getting used to." 

 "Why?" Jacob asked, and Father sighed again. "You two remind me so much of your mother. You're both curious, like she was." He ran his hands down his face, before dropping them heavily to his sides. "Not now, Ethan," he whispered to himself. "I'll tell you about her someday," Father said louder, and Jacob kicked the floor. "Not the same stories Grandmother told?"

 "Well, I don't know about _that_ ," Father admitted. "But there will probably be some interesting ones." He shook himself. "Come on, let's go get something to eat."


End file.
